Medicaid.gov is the
official site of the MEDICAID plan.
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Medicaid
is the United States health
program for individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is
an entitlement program that is jointly funded by the states and federal
government, and is managed by the states. In California it's run by DHCS
and is called MEDI-CAL.
Among the groups of people served by Medicaid are eligible low-income
parents, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Being poor, or
even very poor, does not necessarily qualify an individual for Medicaid.
Medicaid is the largest source of funding for medical and health-related
services for people with limited income.
Comparisons with
Medicare
Although their names are similar, Medicaid and Medicare are very different
programs. Medicare is an entitlement program funded entirely at the federal
level. It is a social insurance focusing primarily on the older population.
As stated in the CMS website, Medicare is a health insurance program for
people age 65 or older, people under age 65 with certain disabilities, and
people of all ages with end stage renal disease.
The
Medicare Program provides a Medicare part A which covers hospital bills,
Medicare Part B which covers medical insurance coverage, and Medicare Part D
which covers prescription drugs.
Medicaid is an entitlement program, that
is not solely funded at the federal level. Medicaid is a needs-based social
welfare or social protection program rather than a social insurance program.
Eligibility is determined by income. States provide up to half of the
funding for the Medicaid program.
In some states, counties also contribute
funds. The main criterion for Medicaid eligibility is limited income and
financial resources, a criterion which plays no role in determining Medicare
coverage. Medicaid covers a wider range of health care services than
Medicare.
Medicaid is also the program that
provides the largest portion of federal money spent for health care on
people living with HIV. Typically, poor people who are HIV positive must
progress to AIDS before they can qualify under the "disabled" category. More
than half of people living with AIDS are estimated to receive Medicaid
payments. Two other programs that provide financial assistance to people
living with HIV/AIDS are the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and
the Supplemental Security Income. |
